Take a slice out of your energy bill – Telegraph.co.uk

Join The Telegraph’s collective and save hundreds of pounds on your energy bills

The Big Telegraph Energy Switch has come around once again and it is more important than ever that we join together to negotiate a better deal for our energy in the face of recent rises by up to 15pc by energy suppliers. Summer usage of energy is usually about half as much as that in the winter, meaning energy usage and bills tend to be forgotten. However it is imperative that we all stay on top of our finances and switch to a cheap fixed deal. Join our collective with energyhelpline to secure a good deal to keep you and your family finances warm and worry-free this summer.

How does collective switching work?

By utilising the power of collective bargaining, groups of people are able to negotiate a far better deal than suppliers will willingly give to individuals. Telegraph readers who’ve decided they’ve had enough of overpaying on their energy bills can register their interest at bigtelegraphswitch.co.uk or by calling 0800 542 7159 and our partner energyhelpline will negotiate with suppliers that will bid for your business. Gaining new customers is difficult and expensive, so suppliers will pounce at the opportunity to try and gain thousands of new customers in one fell swoop without having to spend a fortune on marketing.

The more people that register, the more suppliers will want to win the collective, and the cheaper their tariff bid will be. The only condition is that you have to be registered to get the collective deal. You don’t have to take it if it doesn’t appeal to you, but if you are not registered, you won’t be able to get it. There is nothing to lose by registering, but potential savings of hundreds of pounds to gain.

How will The Telegraph Big Switch work?

Between May 23 and midnight on June 19, we will be registering as many readers as possible, to gain better bargaining power with the suppliers. Towards the end of this period, we will hold an auction with energy suppliers, where they will bid with unique cheap tariffs to try and win the group’s business. The cheapest deal will win the collective, and the chance to win customers. From June 20, we will notify the registered members of the winning deal, and how this compares with other deals currently available on the market, so you can pick the best deal for you even if it’s not the collective deal. If you choose to switch through our call centre or online we will organise the transfer for you and will support you through the entire process. There is no charge to you

for switching.

Am I obliged to switch if I register?

There is no obligation to switch; the best part of a collective is it puts the power back in your hands. You get to choose who to switch to, or if you even want to. You can register, receive details of the winning tariff, compare it to other tariffs on the market, and stay on your current deal. There really is nothing to lose.

How much will I be able to save with my deal?

Until the auction is held, and a winner is chosen, we can’t tell you precisely how much you could save. However, we want to get you the best possible deal and will be aiming to secure a deal cheaper than anything else on the market, meaning everyone should be able to save – potentially hundreds of pounds. In the winter collective of 2017, Telegraph readers saved up to £436. The winning deal was from EDF, a top-rated supplier with excellent customer service ratings.

Joining the collective saved me hundreds of pounds

Robert Davies is one of many Telegraph readers who have previously switched with The Big Telegraph Energy Switch.

“I noticed the collective campaign advert in The Telegraph so I decided to register,” said Robert. “Once the deal was announced, it was really simple to switch. I would recommend it to anyone looking to reduce the cost of their household bills.

“Although I was with my previous supplier for two years, going forward I’ll be switching more frequently to ensure I’m on the best deal. With my old supplier I experienced a large spike in my monthly bill, which my supplier couldn’t explain. My bill kept increasing so I thought it was time

for a change.

“I think there is a lot of mistrust between the consumer and energy suppliers. Wholesale gas and electricity prices have decreased and I think suppliers have been slow to pass on savings to loyal customers. If wholesale prices had increased, then I think price rises would be passed on a lot quicker.

“I did a quick internet comparison and switched to the exclusive collective winning tariff on offer. I’ve now seen a decrease in the cost of my monthly direct debit, and I’m estimated to save hundreds of pounds over the next year.”

When we asked what Robert would spend his saving on, he replied:

“I would like to go on holiday to the Far East, possibly India, as I’ve never been there before.”

The winning collective offered a market-beating deal, and was fixed for 12 months, meaning no sudden surprises. Our last collective tariff cost only £938 a year for dual fuel at medium usage, and was cheaper than any other tariff available on the market from the big six so the majority of people could make a saving. As we now run collectives fairly regularly, you can switch to a year-long fixed tariff this summer, and then switch again next summer to keep your household bills as low as possible.

Join people like Robert and thousands of other Telegraph readers who have switched their energy and saved hundreds on their household bills through the Big Telegraph Energy Switch There’s nothing to lose, it will only take a few minutes and it will open up the opportunity to slice hundreds of pounds off your energy bills.